COLORADO SPRINGS — A common sign of fall is hungry bears showing up in neighborhoods and getting into garbage cans. It was no surprise to Colorado Springs resident Isaac Brisk when his security camera recorded a bear trying to get into his garbage can.
Brisk had seen the bear several times previously in his westside Colorado Springs neighborhood. "He's just your typical bear. If you yell at him out your window or you clap your hands and say, 'hey bear move on,' he's more scared of us then we are of him."
It is the first days of autumn, and it is apparent the bear has a strong urge to keep trying to get into Brisk’s garbage. “Doing what bears want to do which is eat and be fat."
The video shows the bear tipping over the garbage can and pushing it down the driveway. Brisk thinks it may be an attempt to open it the way it does with other garbage cans in the area. "There's several cans in my neighborhood that are 'bear proof',' that he knocks over and jumps on the front of the can, and the lids pops right open."While the video is part intrigue, it also shows Brisk’s simple yet effective and inexpensive way of frustrating garbage seeking bears. "I think I'm $12 in for a couple good ratchet straps. Ratchet strap it down and across pattern and they can't get in." It works.
The effort to outsmart bears is because Brisk loves seeing wildlife. It’s also a recently added element to city statutes in Colorado Springs. "It's just a cool thing and I think it's real easy to keep your trash locked up and away from the bears, but still be able to enjoy them." Keeping bears away from garbage cans, pet food, and bird feeders helps prevent them from causing the kind of trouble that can get them moved or euthanized.
